The Orion being paid off about this period, Mr. Tancock was afterwards successively appointed to the Rosario and Iris; the former a fire-vessel at Sheerness, the latter a frigate employed on the North Sea and Baltic stations. In 1800, he commanded one of that ship’s boats at the capture of a Dutch privateer, of 10 guns and 30 men, moored in a creek on the coast of Norway.
On the 1st Jan. 1801, Sir James Saumarez was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral, and directed to hoist his flag in the Caesar 80, to which ship Lieutenant Tancock was soon removed at the particular request of his worthy and distinguished patron; under whom he served at the battle of Algeziras, and the subsequent discomfiture of the combined squadrons in the Gut of Gibraltar, July, 1801[1].
After that most splendid achievement, Mr. Tancock succeeded the late Captain Philip Dumaresq as flag-lieutenant to Sir James Saumarez, under whose command he had then assisted at the capture and destruction of no less than five of the enemy’s 3-deckers, four 80-gun ships, twelve 74’s, and three frigates[2].
During the peace of Amiens, and after the renewal of hostilities, Mr. Tancock served as flag-lieutenant to the same officer, at Sheerness and Guernsey. Whilst on the latter station he commanded the Sylph brig for a short period, and in that vessel made one re-capture: his promotion to the rank of commander took place Aug. 15, 1806; on which occasion he was appointed to the St. Christopher sloop, stationed at the Leeward Islands. In her, he captured several small Spanish vessels; detained a Danish ship, which was condemned as a droit of admiralty; and re-captured a British merchantman, laden with bale goods, from Glasgow bound to St. Thomas’s. He was also present at the surrender of the Danish island of St. Croix, to the military and naval forces under General Bowyer and Sir Alexander Cochrane, Dec. 25, 1807[3].
Towards the end of 1808, Captain Tancock was obliged to
- ↑ See Vol. I. pp. 187–193; and Supplement, Part I. p. 271.
- ↑ Captain Dumaresq died at Bath, June 29, 1819.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. p. 263, et seq.
